Onward

Well here we go again another year , and its going to be good with a new venture with Lou .
New services ,products like bird boxes bat boxes ,wooden garden windmills bee hives of all types , all made to order,got to quote for  a chicken run for someone. All good stuff.

Plenty of fruit to come

30 raspberry canes go in

Have a go method

Well, had a sourdough starter going for about six months now , and upto now I've just thrown it away when I've got too much, so this morning my little lad is I'll and have decided to use the time with some bucket cookery bread. It looks like dough at least so let's see if it works.

At last

Today , summer arrived. A visit to my allotment saw temperatures in the high 20s and over 40 in the greenhouse, even with a glass missing. Tomatoes are to the roof and Aubergines are going well. Outside, well thats a different story, slugs have eaten the lot. This winter i aim to transform the plot. New beds, possibly green rooves, and a wildlife area with pond.

Time and tide

Been way too long since ive scribbled on here, it seems that offgridding is now the thing for all those budding goodlifers.my toe dipping carries on with my greenhouse filling with tomatoes, chillis, peppers and my lonely aubergine. Outside the slugs are in control only the sweetcorn is holding on, one good thing is i have another site for a beehive and the swarm collector.

Spring

Wow a little warm sunshine, and out come the honeybees, bumbles and wasps.   Love spring

Another hemisphere

With much planning I'm here in New Zealand looking at life. Main suprise i guess is the lack of solar pannels and as yet I've seen no wind turbines.
Im staying with with a school friend and his family who are trying very hard with a more scientific approach.  Solar covers his roofcwith each tech devise linked so as to monitor it.  The biggest investment arrives in a couple of weeks; an electric Nissan leaf car not a hybrid . with charging stations spreading he believes it is the way forward. Add to that the ability to use it as a battery pack for the house.

At last

Last week was a milestone. The phonecall came saying i had reached the top of the allotment list after 7 years. So went to view a very large derelict plot which i must say needs alot of work.  With three sheds and a greenhouse it looks like heaven to me, i can even keep a few chicken.  At last my greener life steps closer.

At last.

Finally after nearly 7 years on the allotment waiting list i get to visit one as I'm now top if the list, really just want to get on with the next stage of my greener life. All change here we go.

Its a new year

Well here we are, a new year , time to turn to a blank page. It was a real challenge last year personal stuff got in the way of life . plus points were actually got my beehives up and running. This year, time to enjoy life more.
   
HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Warmed

OK so the woodburner has been on and the honey has now gone through a couple of sieves, so far I have about 3lb of the golden stuff. So to recap. The heat was free as I used collected wood from the local woodland and the honey was from my own bees. I'm beginning to get there.

Too chill

Today was meant to be a hunting day but weather was against us ,so decided to extract the honey from my first frames. Problem is my house is a little cool so the honey is crystallised, so now I've got to let it warm a little so as I can spin it out. Never mind the bits I tried tasted great.

Winter on its way

Was loveley this morning to see a stunning flock of 40 pink footed geese flying over my little house.  All in formation and calling in the autumn sunshine. My bees are also enjoying the warmth, bringing in goodies from local gardens as well as feasting on the ivy flowers.

At last

Just took my first honey from my hive, great feeling. This has made me feel good , something I've needed after much negativity at work and also shows me there is light at the end of my green journey.

Squirrels got them

On well, checked out the walnut trees I spotted earlier in the year, they were full but tonight completely gone. Looks like the greys got there first, never mind.

Time for planning

Well I'm starting to research the idea of a static caravan on site or in a field, the realism that even the most humble of houses will push my income to its limits and will not allow me the land I need to become more self sufficient.
The caravan idea comes from when I lived in a caravan in my own  garden after my separation, it was peaceful  and gave me a sense of freedom, yes it was cold in midwinter in fact -3 inside , but wrapped in a good duvet I felt none of it.
Waking to bird song or rain was beautiful, and falling asleep to the sound of owls and wind was calming, so moving to a much larger space but still a caravan is appealing ; the issue will always be the land. More research is needed ! .

Walking , Therapy for life.

Today was one of those rare weekend days that I get off the Hamster wheel of life. And decided with no plans or routes to walk. 5 hours later returned from a walk which took in,roads,lanes,fields,hills villages rivers river banks cliff tops ,beaches and finally a stroll in the see.
Yes my legs are shattered but my body feels healthy and my spirit is refreshed for a time. All thoughts of my work and financial troubles evaporated for a day.   Blessed be.

A day to contemplate

As usual at the moment sleep was absent last night ,a tell tale sign that work is stressing me, add to this earache and its sure fire stress, not as bad as last time but non the less there.Usual cure is to sit in the countryside and just chill but i had a cleaning job to do,but at least i get to have a 2.5 mile walk there and back in the sunshine. On my journeys it was nice to see a bramble in full flower covered in at least 4 species of bee with honey bees being the most numerous. Along side fed wasps, hoverflies and the odd meadow brown butterfly. Also a sure sign that natures autumn has started were the large number of silver y moth on the wing. Once Christmas is gone and my trip to New Zealand in February has finished i really need to think about a job that doesn't make me feel so down and ill. I need to follow my greener life or my body will bust. Sorry for that pun .

Where next

Sat here wondering, what and where next.I'm sure life in greenville shouldn't be so complicated. Can't start a new life because i have ties to an old one.Can't find a new place to start my new life because I'm tied to a job because im tied to another life.  Its one viscous circle that many of you must know. I need off this Hamster wheel . Somewhere away from nosey neighbors. Sure there is a new tv series here where a complete newcomer to the organic lifestyle can try and follow in the footsteps of river cottage. I'm feeling totally enclosed and trapped tonight , not a feeling i enjoy. To add to this i think my brain knows there is not a way out of this working for nothing for at least two to three years,hence my sleep is disturbed,im fatiqued and it all feels a bit much.

They have arrived

At long last I have moved forward on my green quest!  I managed to buy a hive with bees. That was just over a week ago and all seems well.